Hospitals across Kolkata have recorded a sudden rise in cardiac tests by asymptomatic people at their facilities in the last three days.
Many of those undergoing these tests have told doctors and officials they wanted to get the tests done after the death of KK on Tuesday evening.
Several hospitals said people, mostly in their 40s and 50s, are walking in to get electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiogram (Echo) done. Some were also getting cardiac health check-ups done that includes blood and treadmill tests along with ECG and Echo, said officials.
The singer had died after performing at Nazrul Mancha on Tuesday evening. He was complaining of uneasiness and feeling cold. Later returning to the Oberoi Grand, KK had collapsed and was declared dead after being taken to the CMRI Hospital.
Preliminary post mortem report had revealed that KK had died because of a heart attack medically termed as myocardial infarction.
Civil engineer S.K. Rajesh, 31, was feeling discomfort in his chest for the last few days and went to Peerless Hospital on Thursday to get an ECG done. He again went to the hospital on Friday for an Echo.
“I was panic-stricken after KK's death which I heard was from a sudden heart attack. So, I decided not to ignore the feeling of discomfort and went to the hospital. I also had Covid in January which made me more worried,” said Rajesh.
The test results were normal and he felt relieved.
“We have not seen such a high demand for ECG, Echo and cardiac health check-up in a long time. The numbers have almost doubled in three days,” said Sudipta Mitra, chief executive of Peerless Hospital. The hospital had 43 ECGs in a day on an average for the last three days that did not include in patients. The number used to be 24 per day. The number of Echo tests was 29 per day, increasing from 19 every day on an average.
At Ruby General Hospital also, the number of cardiac tests has gone up in the last three days, said officials.
“We are observing an increased demand in cardiac health check-ups. In the last three days, we had at least 10 queries from individuals who are not part of a corporate package,” Subhasish Datta, chief general manager of the hospital.
“All these queries are not about general health check-up packages but specifically for our cardiac check-up packages,” said Datta.
A middle-aged man has booked a cardiac check-up package for his wife who was feeling breathless while climbing stairs.
“We were earlier ignoring the problem but now, we have decided to get a thorough check-up done,” said the man.
At Belle Vue Clinic also, the number of cardiac related tests has gone up in the last three days.
“We would have 15 health check-ups in a day on an average. The number has gone upto 25 in the last three days and all the additional tests are for cardiac health check-ups,” said Pradip Tondon, CEO of Belle Vue.
Doctors also said they were getting requests from asymptomatic people, who are taking appointments and requesting them to recommend cardiac tests.
“I had seen such a rise in cardiac tests after Sourav Ganguly had suffered a heart attack. Now, there is again a rise in such demand,” said Debdutta Bhattacharya, interventional cardiologist at RN Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences.
“In many cases, wives are bringing their husbands to get tests done,” he said.